In 'Toy Story 5', screens are the villain of the moment: 'Every child and every parent in the world deals with technology'

Woody and Buzz are set in 'Toy Story 5' - and that's great
It's not new that technology is among the main concerns of parents when raising children - in particular, children's relationship with screens. In "Toy Story 5", this fear is shared by the protagonists.
g1 has already seen it: 'Toy Story 5' proves that it doesn't need Woody and Buzz with a new protagonist, humor and tenderness
The new film in the franchise about what toys do when we're not looking premieres this Wednesday (17) in Brazilian cinemas with a new heroine in charge and a new/old threat.
The main antagonist of this time is a children's tablet given to the young owner of the dolls. The hope is that the device will help her make friends.
But Jessie, the cowgirl in Woody's class introduced in "Toy Story 2" (1999) and made the protagonist at the end of the fourth film, doesn't believe that the newcomer is the ideal way to create true connections.
The dispute between analog toys and technology is nothing new, of course. It has existed at least since the 1990s, with the popularization of video games, but the creators of the animation believe that the issue is now inevitable.
"We probably could have done it five years ago, but it took us all this time to make it (the film)", says producer Lindsey Collins in an interview with g1. Part of the Pixar studio team since 1997, she was part of the development of classics like "Wall-E" (2008).
"Oh, every child in the world, and every parent in the world, everyone in the world deals with the reality of what it's like to have technology in their lives, and the conflict about how much time you dedicate to it."
Scene from 'Toy Story 5'
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Jessie vs. Is Tec the new 'Woody with Buzz'?
The idea came from veteran Andrew Stanton. After writing all the films in the series, he takes on directing for the first time, alongside newcomer McKenna Harris.
In the seven years since "Toy Story 4", the studio was looking for the ideal filmmaker to tell a new episode of the franchise. Until the director of "Finding Nemo" (2003) said he had the right idea for Jessie.
"Obviously, after that, it took us a long time to come up with the story of the film," says Collins.
"But I think there was a moment of truth where we all thought, 'Ah, Jessie plus technology in the same room...'. It almost felt like it was with Woody plus Buzz, you know?"
She's referring, of course, to the old pair of protagonists. The two even appear in the film, but they help to strengthen the redhead's position as leader.
For this reason, the script signed by the directors also explored a little more of the doll's past, which, unlike the cowboy and the astronaut, is already on its third human life.
Little Bonnie, Jessie's current owner, in fact, also gains unprecedented importance in the series, which has always paid much more attention to toys.
"I think these two elements led us to think that this is a a little different story for 'Toy Story', in a good way, compared to the previous ones."
Scene from 'Toy Story 5'
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Billionaire potential
For many experts, "Toy Story 5" has the potential to make more than US$1.5 billion at the box office around the world.
The value would place it in the top 5 of the highest grossing animation films of all time - the top belongs to the Chinese phenomenon "Ne Zha - The Rebirth of the Soul" (2025), with more than US$ 2.2 billion obtained almost exclusively in China.
It would certainly be enough to make the film one of the highest grossing films of 2026, a year that has given hope to the industry, which is seeing signs of growth after successive drops in grossings since pandemic.
But even amid negative scenarios, animation has always remained a beacon for studios and exhibitors.
"If we do everything right, these are movies made for everyone. It's not like, 'Oh, we have to wait a specific time when we're not with the kids.' Or something they don't want to see", says the producer.
"We offer a grand experience, on a large scale, that people want to see on a big screen. Something worth going to the cinema to see. And, I hope, 'Toy Story 5' does that too."
Scene from 'Toy Story 5'
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Source: G1